


looking out for the little guy, the best i can

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Blood, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, its a tough scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-19 05:20:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22205836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: David Strider finds the scene of the battle with Lord English to be a nice, if odd, change of pace, but doesn’t expect to find a shadow on the path.
Kudos: 13





	looking out for the little guy, the best i can

**Author's Note:**

> BIG CW for mentions of abuse, blood, violence and pretty much just the presence of bro strider. fuck that guy

my name is DAVID STRIDER. capitalized for emphasis so you know im not fucking around. which is kinda funny because fucking around is exactly what im doing right now? i dont know. its not like the scenes of vicious double death are soothing but its nice to know that im not the one who has to double deal and stealth around to stay alive this time.

whatever though. im keeping a wide berth around big green meanie and making my way downtown. walking fast faces pass and im homeb- oh fuck i just bumped into someone huh

**????: Hey, guy. Maybe watch where you’re fucking going next time if you know what’s good for yo-**

**????: Holy shit.**

wait what does this dude know me? did a fan somehow go through the big red portal i rode in on? probably not the paparrazi on earth is pretty fucking sucky but i think theyd die to the big green dude if they saw him

wait that thought sucks nevermind

**????: Hey. Big guy. You gonna talk to me anytime soon or am I gonna have to slap you or some shit?**

**DAVID: ok listen man you gotta chill**

**DAVID: how about i help you off the cold ground quick and then we can talk about how you should stop threatening me** **  
  
**

i pick the mystery twunk up from the ground. i also take the opportunity to get a good look at this guy’s face. he looks... kinda like me, but…

oh

oh fuck.

i know exactly who this guy is.

**DAVID: ok you mind telling me who the fuck you are and how you got here**

**????: Well, I got a name, but considering the relationship we have, you might as well call me your Bro.**

**DAVID: what the hell is that supposed to mean?**

**BRO: That’s no way to talk to your ectobiological father, Dave.**

**BRO: Though, technically, I’m the kid in your universe? I don’t know. Shit’s fucked.**

**BRO: And I got here the same way you did, Dave.**

**DAVID: its david**

**DAVID: and ok so youre the flippy dippy universe version of lil dirk**

**BRO: That’s a tad reductive, but yeah, pretty much.**

**DAVID: so youre...**

**DAVID: taking care of tiny me?**

**BRO: Sure am.**

i take a good long look at the guy from toe to anime shades covered tip and nothing about his demeanor, the way he talks, the way he’s got his sword in his hand... none of it shows me that hes ready to take care of another human being. id be lying if i said i was either but at least i know the type. ive been around rose long enough while she was tending to refugees to see what a good caretaker looks like. i guess its a good thing that shes around to help me with that shit because i dont see myself exactly being the parental type. 

was. it was a good thing.

still gotta get used to the whole “about to die by getting forked by betty crocker like an undone cake” thing.

**DAVID: cool**

that was the lamest possible thing i couldve said. have some fucking spine david please

**DAVID: honestly i wish i could get the chance to do the same for lil you**

**DAVID: that chance is coming about 400 years too late unfortunately**

**BRO: I’m not gonna try to unpack whatever the fuck you just said there.**

**BRO: But it’s not really as exciting as you think.**

**BRO: Though you have to wonder something…**

**BRO: How ready is little me gonna be without proper training for what’s out there?**

**BRO: Without the childhood I or Dave had to rough him up.**

**BRO: Seeing the failed versions of him flinging themselves at Lord English over there doesn’t exactly raise my hopes.**

**BRO: ...**

his gaze shifts away from me and over into the battle in the distance.

**BRO: You ever get the impulse to jump in there?**

**BRO: Just fuck shit up?**

**DAVID: if youre asking if i have a deathwish the answers gonna be no unfortunately**

**DAVID: were external agents. theres no way we jump into the fray and survive**

**DAVID: youd be like a fucking mouse on cat island**

**DAVID: and i mean literally fucking**

**DAVID: stuck in place doing the sex while the cats are encroaching on you**

**DAVID: “bro we gotta bounce this is getting bad”**

**DAVID: “not yet man i gotta nut”**

**DAVID: ...**

**BRO: You done?**

**DAVID: maybe maybe not**

**BRO: You really are him, huh?**

**BRO: Though not quite as weak... Not as soft.**

**BRO: You’re like me in that way, really.**

he looks at me and… he’s smiling? like he’s finally found someone like him.

that fucking tears it

i finally take an opportunity and deck him in the fucking face. about time right? the guy looks at the blood on his hand and seems… surprised? for a second. makes sense. when you hurt other people for so long without any pushback you probably end up not thinking you can be hurt at all.

what can i say? i make a living out of putting pieces of shit out to dry.

**DIRK: What…**

**DIRK: What the fuck, dude?**

**DIRK: Seriously, what the fuck?**

**DAVID: you can’t fucking fool me, dirk. ive been around enough of these fucked up bubbles to know what kind of person you really are.**

**DAVID: do you know how many little mes have recoiled in fear at the sight of me?**

**DAVID: they get a quick look at my face and all of the life leaves their eyes**

**DAVID: you know what the ones who are able to stomach walking up to me say?**

**DAVID: you looked like my bro**

**DAVID: they were dead, dirk.**

**DAVID: dead as the fucking night and they STILL panic at the sight of you**

**DAVID: do you think i can see that and go yeah thats what a healthy childhood looks like**

**DAVID: i cant say i had one myself but**

**DAVID: that fear? that hatred?**

**DAVID: it tore me apart.**

**DAVID: because i know how easy it would be to end up just like you**

**DAVID: who fucking knows? maybe i wouldve if i had to raise the kid**

**DAVID: but the thought of that tears me apart too**

**DAVID: because i know that no child deserves the hell you’re putting him through**

**BRO: You...**

whatever vacancy was on his stoic anime ass face has left it completely. His face contorts. it’s sickeningly angry, angrier than anything i could muster in my worst moments.

he has to see this every day.

i try to go in for another blow before he can speak, but he manages to flash step out of the way before i can land it.

fuck, i forgot we could do that.

**DIRK: I thought you would’ve understood.**

**DIRK: The world is a fucked up place. This GAME is a fucked up place!**

**DIRK: Do you think i’m stupid enough to throw this kid in there empty handed, with no training?**

**DAVID: it’s not training**

**DAVID: it’s fucking abuse**

**BRO: YOU DON’T GET TO TELL ME WHAT IS AND ISN’T ABUSE!**

his sword is lashing out at me before i can think. luckily, thinking isn’t an important part of the equation. i flash step out of the way of his blade.

**DAVID: i wouldn’t reccomend trying to kill me**

**DAVID: we’ve both got massive fucking plot armor you know this**

**BRO: Shut up.**

**DAVID: no**

I get him in the face, but he catches my arm with his sword

fuuuuck why didnt i bring my sword

cant wait for the speech from rose about how You should really stop being so reckleee oh shit barely dodged that one fuck i gotta focus

**BRO: Stay STILL!**

**DAVID: gotta say dude for someone whos supposed to be training a mega knight that is really fucking shitty advice**

**DAVID: its almost like youre beating on a defenseless kid instead of training him? weird**

**BRO: I said, SHUT UP!**

**DAVID: and i said no**

one more dodge, one more swing- ooh fuck i had to catch that one in my hand FUCK that hurts

it really fucking hurts but i power through it

shit shit shit shit SHIT AUGH alright about fucking time

ok the blade is out of his hand now. progress.

ok i hit him with an uppercut. that knocks the wind out of him, and then i hit him as many times as i can in the stomach

after im done he doubles over. seems like that was enough to down him and yeah hes fallen over.

i really wish i could just put him down right here. save lil me the trouble. but i know it wouldnt stick. Id just leave a dave out there with no bro in a doomed timeline.

damn dave from 30 minutes ago where you at? i guess this time the murderthoughts are justified? i don’t know. fuck this guy.

i kneel down to where dirk is laying on the ground, groaning in pain. i guess he’s not used to picking on someone his own size.

**DAVE: listen here asshole**

**DAVE: consider that beating on the behalf of all the daves out there who couldnt do this themselves because of what you did to them**

**DAVE: remember this the next time you decide to kick your kid’s ass** **  
******

**DAVE: because right now? if i feasibly could?**

**DAVE: id fucking kill you where you stand.**

i’m done with this guy. i elect to leave him on the ground this time, where he belongs.

kinda wish i didnt help him up to begin with. god, my hand hurts. i wrap that up in some gauze.

what do you mean why do i have gauze

im a badass anime dude who fought clowns im not about to die because a shard of reality cuts my shit up and i have nothing to stop the circulation with

ugh this is not helping me keep my mind off things

i get on my rocket board, and as i’m heading out, i take one last look at dirk.

or, i would be, but he’s already gone.

slimy bastard.

i wish i could help more. i really do. but its a lost cause. id like to think that was me looking out for the little guy, the best i can.

i hope what im able to leave for his other self is better than what he ended up as.

god, i hope so.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry about the lazy formatting on this i just didnt want to be here for hours trying to change the font on this text. ao3 please
> 
> also thanks for reading


End file.
